There are people in both camps arguing the toss about a decision by the Sydney Cricket Ground Trustees to name their new stand after past cricketing great Victor Trumper and push more latter day star Dougie Walters into the background.
Well, I did some research at the weekend and it isn’t an easy decision to determine who was the greater cricketer.
Trumper, who died suddenly of a chronic kidney disease aged only 37, came to the fore in the 1898/99 season with a debut 292 for NSW against Tasmania and then clouted another double century against New Zealand.
Making his debut around this time for Paddington he hit 562 runs in his first three innings, and in 1899 followed up with 135 at Lords for Australia.
Described as “the greatest batsman of his age” Trumper was seen as “ all style and grace”.
Walters set a test record with 242 and 103 in the same match against West Indies in 1968/69 and in four games against the Windies he hit 693 runs at an average of 116.5.
One innings was a 336 run stand with his skipper of the day Bill Lawry.
Dougie was once described as “ an eye player in superlative form”.
Trumper played 255 first class games to score 16 939 at an average of 44.58. Walters played 259 games, hit 16 180 runs and had an average of 43.8.
In tests Trumper hit 3163 in 48 matches while Dougie played 75 matches and hit 5357 runs at an average of 48.2.
I told you there wasn’t much between them, but what about Richie Benaud? Why haven’t we got a Richie Benaud stand?
My source for the figures is the 200 Years of Australian Cricket ( 1804 – 2004 ) publication.
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Holding our spot
We journalists remain fairly steady in who the people out there trust, but we did make it ahead of real estate agents, sex workers, car salesmen and politicians, although we trailed miserably behind the favourites such as ambulance officers, fire fighters, nurses, police officers and the like.
Funny when you compare us with fire fighters. We journos fight certain fires with a fire of our own. Perhaps we should just hose down the things we write about!
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Parking blitz a deterrent
No matter who you talk to when it comes to naming some of our city’s major problems a lack of suitable parking is always up there.
Now we have an extended council parking rangers department suggesting that in 2007 – 2008 they will raise more than $1 million in parking fines.
What’s more we are being told the parking “hot spots” include inner city areas such as Crown, Corrrimal, Keira and Market streets and Cliff road.
Take away Cliff Road and you have most of our key “shopping”areas under the parking spotlight.
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A laugh a minute
The recently announced suggested restrictions on drinkers are causing untold merriment around the city.
Drink four middies and you are classified as a “binger”, and the same goes for three red wines.
Now, obviously if it was aimed more at some NRL players we might understand it better, but for most tipplers out there this is just another joke out of Canberra.
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QANTAS leaves us stranded
The decision by QANTAS to withdraw from the Illawarra and axe its Wollongong – Melbourne service is another smack in the face for us locals.
It doesn’t come as too much of a surprise I suppose when you consider the ongoing dramas that have been associated with the airport expansion at Albion Park.
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A sad indictment on society
Heard recently of the battle being faced by two elderly folk, both estimated to be in their late 70s, who have been forced for one reason or another to care for their 14 year old disadvantaged grandson.
The couple have been hitting their heads up against various bureaucratic walls in recent times trying to get assistance for the provision of a suitable wheelchair for the young fellow.
They were even told at one stage they could have the use of a special bed to trial, but only for a short time. The authorities removed the bed and told the couple they had to apply to the proper government agency to get one on a full time basis, and at a cost of $5000.
Fortunately, our local KidzWish Foundation heard about the problem, and after a visit to these elderly people’s home saw first hand for themselves why a suitable chair was needed.
Well, the Foundation will buy a chair and donate it to the family. It is a growing example of how the KidzWish Foundation is seeking to help in the community, and it’s another example of how funding support for this charity is being spent locally.
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Surprise, surprise
Having another look at the list of donations to the Member for the Illawarra David Campbell’s recent election slush – fund and I don’t think I was really surprised to see the Australian Hotels Association in Sydney tossing in some cash.
But, I must admit, when you look at it again there is the question there of why the AHA would back somebody who also happens to be the Police Minister.
Perhaps the biggest surprise, however, was to see BlueScope Steel slipping him $1000. Times have certainly changed!!
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Noreen gets the travel bug
I notice that our Member for Wollongong Noreen Hay is about to head off on a parliamentary trip which will include Canada, Ireland and Britain.
Among the things she will supposedly look at include health, steel and tourism.
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